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Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner isn't exactly a climate change denier, but that didn't stop him from calling a young climate advocate "young and naive" after being asked a question about funding he's received from gas companies.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner isn't exactly a climate change denier, but that didn't stop him from calling a young climate advocate "young and naive" after she questioned funding he's received from gas companies.

Rose Strauss, a member of the Sunrise Movement, a nonprofit youth climate advocacy organization, attended Wagner's Wednesday, July 18, town hall at the North Penn VFW in Glenside, Montgomery County.

Rose Strauss(Photo: Submitted)

Town hall altercation: Strauss took the opportunity to confront the gubernatorial candidate on campaign donations he has received from fossil fuel companies, but Wagner wasn't interested in the numbers.

A video of the altercation was originally posted on Twitter by Sean Kitchen, a writer and activist in Harrisburg:

"You've said that climate change is a result of people's body heat and are refusing to take action on the issue," Strauss said. "Does this have anything to do with the $200,000 you have taken from the fossil fuel industry?"

Wagner, who made headlines last year after proposing that climate change is caused by human body heat, worked around the question.

All fun aside, Wagner's attitude toward a younger voter could hurt his chances with the youth vote in the November elections, Strauss said.

"There are so many people that are feeling like Wagner isn't addressing their concerns, especially when it comes to issues like climate change that will affect our generation," she said. "Refusing to acknowledge my question is really not going to look good for voters my age."

If Strauss is right about the youth vote, it would be a cause of concern for the Wagner campaign.

Voting demographics: For the first time in the state's history, voters between the ages of 18 and 34 outnumber voters 65 and older, and they're overwhelmingly liberal, according to July statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of State.